I am struggling to understand why Coventry is allowed to be brought to a standstill because of all the major roadworks taking place at the same time.

Not only do we have the three-year Tollbar Island project on-going and the Whitley Bridge/A46 improvements, we now have to contend with even more disruption due to the announcement of more roadworks being carried out at Canley… and all this is in addition to the current Ring Road improvements at the junction 6 exit.

As someone who has to travel through these roadworks every day to get to work, the journey is becoming almost unbearable and due to the volume of traffic what should be a 20-minute journey can take anything up to an hour, or even longer, on some days.

I am sure I am not the only one who is frustrated and baffled by those in authority who have taken the decision for these improvements to be ongoing all at the same time, causing the city to be gridlocked at peak times.

Coventry may be booming with job creation at the moment, but how are people expected to get to their place of work on time?

Kim Jackson,

Keresley Road, Coventry.

***

I was shocked to read the planning department is recommending the Sikh school goes ahead at the former Barclays site at Walsgrave. Despite all the concerns raised at the meeting last Wednesday at Grace Academy, local residents and businesses views are being ignored.

As a local resident I feel strongly that the whole management of this matter has been underhand and extremely unprofessional.

There have since been two further applications on the planning website which have been withdrawn, there were over 265 objections from local residents and businesses which are no longer viewable. Most shockingly there is an attached report dated February 5, 2015 concluding that there are no concerns regarding the school.

I read on in disbelief that the addendum to the traffic assessment of the Wigston Road/Brade Drive/A4600 due to lack of time is being based on figures from a 2012 traffic assessment of University Hospital. How is this even feasible?

Nobody seems to be able to answer how this school will police the use of minibus transport as opposed to parents driving in their cars to drop off and collect their children. To simply state a condition that 300 students will use a minibus is insulting and totally ignorant by planning officials.

I will be advising local residents and businesses to attend the Planning Committee meeting on February 5 at the Council House.

Nikki Saunders, by email.

***

The answer to Barry Greener’s question about the kind of library housed in the old chapel in Cow Lane is that it was the record library. There was an excellent collection of 78s and LPs.

It was presided over by the redoubtable Mrs Gunter who knew her music (classical and other) and who expected borrowers to return the discs in pristine condition and on time.

I owe a great debt both to her and to the City Library of that time because this was how I was able to develop my lifelong passion for classical music. Those were the days (long past I fear) when librarians cared more about collections than the buildings in which they were housed.

Bob Wright,

Station Avenue, Tile Hill Village.

***

Can this country afford to pay £400 to pregnant women not to smoke?

Cancer patients can’t get treatment due to lack of funds. Then there’s Peter Rolfe, the father of 23 children by 15 different women who is getting paid £23,000 a year, for sitting on his backside. He will never work, and why should he? That’s what’s wrong with this country, it encourages lazy parasites.

J Young, Curtis Road, Wyken.

***

After a very worrying day on January 27, I ended up so relieved and it is all thanks to the staff at Pool Meadow Bus Station’s ‘Lost Property’ department.

I had been waiting for the bus home, and when eventually it came, I got on leaving my handbag behind with all my personal possessions inside.

Having made my way to the lost property office and giving the assistant the bus number, I was assured by the staff as to what time the bus driver would be returning to Pool Meadow. Sure enough at 2.11pm the bus driver duly returned to site and I was able to retrieve my handbag.

I would like to thank all of the staff at the Lost Property Department and in particular the driver of the number 2173 bus to Bedworth who was extremely helpful in returning my lost bag. Everyone was so kind.

Name and address supplied.

***

Jeremy Hunt blames elderly patients for the NHS’s troubles. It was these people whose subscriptions created the NHS, but Mr Hunt wants to privatise it; if they do thousands of people will not be able to pay for treatment.